The NFL's Most Average Stadium - Bank of America Stadium
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- Planning on Carolinas Stadium began in the early 1990s after the Carolinas were given a new NFL expansion team that would later become the Panthers. Several sites were proposed for the stadium including near Charlotte Motor Speedway, near the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s campus, as well as near the Carowins theme park with the 50 yard line being on the state border of North and South Carolina to signal the unity of the two states around the franchise. In the end planners landed on the Charlotte center city site where the stadium now stands. With the Panthers temporarily playing at Clemson University during construction, ground was broken on April 22, 1994 with opening day in August 1996. Construction costs were a relatively modest $248 million dollars for what was considered the most advanced stadium in the NFL at the time. The design was based on classic stadiums like LA Memorial Coliseum and Soldier Field. Naming rights were sold to LM Ericsson on a 10 year $25 million dollar contract. When that deal expired in 2004 Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years.
The stadium was a pioneer for the use of Person Seat Licenses for an NFL stadium. A PSL gives individuals the right to buy season tickets for a certain seat in a stadium. These licenses were used to help fund the stadium. Many future NFL stadiums would use this strategy in later years.
For the mid-1990s the stadium was considered state of the art, with unprecedented amounts of technology and an overall great fan reception. By the 2010s the stadium was starting to show its age, so renovations began to upgrade video boards, install ribbon boards throughout the stadium, as well as installing surround sound and renovating the home locker room. Additional renovations between 2015-2017 upgrading the fan experience in concourses with upgraded concessions, double the amount of wifi access points, and the the addition of a 13 foot tall statue of controversial team owner Jerry Richardson. The statue of Richardson was later removed in 2020. Further renovations took place in 2019-2020 with updated logos and advertising around the scoreboard, and the removal of 1000 seats in the west end zone so new bunker suites could be installed at field level. These bunker suites are similar to those that were installed at the Superdome. Further renovations took place when the MLS awarded a franchise to Charlotte. The soccer specific renovations included adding new locker rooms, camera mounts, a new tunnel entrance, concourse upgrades, and the replacement of the natural grass playing surface with FieldTurf.
Early on the stadium had a very positive reputation with other NFL franchises like the Seahawks studying the stadium as inspiration for their facilities. As time as passed the upgrades have not kept pace with what is now expected by fans. In 2019 team owner David Tepper started expressing interest in demolishing Bank of America Stadium and replacing it with a new retractable roof stadium in another part of town. He noted in particular that maintenance costs at the aging facility continued to rise. By 2022 Tepper noted that major renovations were under consideration, but nothing had been finalized yet. Only time will tell if the stadium is renovated or replaced. Based on current trends, I could see the Panthers leaning for an entirely new stadium.
I went to visit last year. I've never been so whelmed in my entire life. It wasn't bad, but nothing blew me away. Just a solid stadium that's been passed up by the modern designs.
I have been there, being a Jags fan it was nice to see our fellow 1995 expansion teams home. I will say that TIAA bank needs a roof and a couple more upgrades, but it is far more renovateable than Bank of America just because of its shape and design.
Probably the only guy here but the stadium looks fine. A stadium looks best when filled up to the brim with fans shoulder to shoulder. When stadiums look fragmented and show empty spaces caused by corporate or luxury suites, it looks ugly and the upper bowl seats are pushed outward and further from the field.
But yeah, it probably does need a roof
It's not "outdated"
It doesn't have gold plated toilet seats, so they'll want a new one.
@@davidlafleche1142 Laughed at gold toilet seats but hopefully they don’t replace this stadium.
@@Mrcharles. "He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want" (Proverbs 22:16, KJV). The most blatant example was Walter O'Malley, who stole land from an entire Working Class community to build Dodger Stadium.
Yes it is. Have you ever been? 😂
@@thynysan no, I haven't been there
This stadium is outdated? Ever been to FedEx Field?
Now THIS 1:26 would've been amazing! Wow I can't believe they passed this up!
Still one of the largest stadiums in the NFL with over 75,000.
Retractable roofs/domes are way too trendy and you should only build one if weather permits. Charlotte is not one of those places, and neither is Washington who I heard was considering a dome stadium. I really hate the indoor stadium trend it’s taking the grit and character out of football.
Charlotte is most definitely one of those places lol? you must not live here. Have you ever heard of the Monsoon bowl?? also another example, the newly added Charlotte FC has experienced weather delays for the past 4 weeks causing games to be severely delayed and even canceled.
Good takes for both sides of the question thanks for commenting
They're just paying extra to homogenize their field and take away their home field advantage. It's really funny seeing teams/cities pay extra to put something on that gives their team less of a chance to win
You can hold so many other non football events in dome stadiums! It’s about money! I like the way SoFi is built where it’s covered, but it still has airflow from outside.
I really hope their fans get a nice stadium. This stadium is in such a good location and with downtown as a backdrop, man! They could build easily a top 5 stadium in the league.
So Lambeau has been torn down? Y'all find the smallest little thing to 💩 on this team for no reason.
The franchise themselves even want to replace it
@@vp_wrld Who?
Changing to turf was unnecessary. Grass grows well in Carolina. For the linc in Philly, the temple owls play there and so does the eagles and that field holds up well and is much father north than Carolina. What a disgrace if I was a player for a Carolina team I would request a trade to a team with a natural grass surface.
So you can go play away games on artificial? Smart!
A new revamped stadium would need even higher ticket prices. I'm fine with it
Bank of America is a amazing stadium it the best place to go in North Carolina
Are you sure that the Bills stadium isn’t outdated by like 500 years?
Just because it doesn't have its own lake outside doesn't mean its 500 years old. It's no SoFi but it's also no Soldier Field.
Bills new stadium is under construction!
So Lambeu /Soldier Field and Fedex Field have been demolished? Huh I didnt know that
What would be cool is a new stadium with the modern stuff but made to look classic
Pretty sure the bills stadium is the most outdated
I've been there a few times.i like that it's outside and u can c the city
“Charlotte Panthers”
Holds shirt that clearly says “Carolina Panthers”
I been to a Bank of America stadium the seats are trashed, nice view tho and they could renovate the inside of the stadium and the big screen
I actually just got back from Charlotte today, and I passed by the stadium on the way to my hotel. It isn’t a very big stadium and also it just is a basic concrete structure. So not much to see lol.
Ignorance is bliss. Bank of America Stadium is the 7th largest in capacity out of 30 NFL stadiums. The stadium in Buffalo is 10th 🙄
Says a bills fan 😂😂😂😂
@@Brosef336 not even a bills fan
The only reason it wasn't called the Charlotte Panthers is because Jerry Richardson needed to use SC to convince NFL executives that there was a big enough market for an NFL team. So yeah, SC was even part of the original plan. It would have solely been a NC team. 😂
Yeah but the Panthers are a Charlotte team everyone knows that and people outside of the Carolinas aren't thinking of South Carolina when they think of the Panthers
this could also go to Gillette or Nissan stadium
It’s not nfl but Michigan university stadium
Keep renovating, be the first NFL team to install a roof on a stadium that previously didn’t have one, build a giant atrium like the Packers did at Lambeau, the possibility’s are endless. Just don’t build a new stadium and demand the tax payers pay for it
#KeepPoundingWIthYourChiliEatingJustLikeInCincinnatti!
2:14
Fedex feild
I actually already covered it! You can find that video on my channel home page.
#NCLaughingstock!
【ｐｒｏｍｏｓｍ】 😴